5 October 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — People who live in and around a contamination site in north Wichita can get some answers this weekend.
The City of Wichita is holding a public meeting on Saturday to discuss how residents of the 29th and Grove environmental site can get access to health screening.
A health study released in June showed higher rates of liver cancer and low birth weights in the 29th and Grove Environment Site.
The site is within the borders of Interstate 135 to the west, 29th Street to the North, Grove to the east and stretches south to around Ninth Street.
This Saturday, Oct. 7, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., local officials will hold a public meeting at the Boys and Girls Club, 2400 N. Opportunity Drive.
They will have information about health screening and an update on the cleanup of the environmental site. There will also be information tables on different site-related topics staffed by various organizations to answer community questions.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says the 29th and Grove site has contamination that originated with a leak of chemicals at the Union Pacific rail yard approximately 30 years ago. Geologists say the primary contaminant is a volatile organic compound called trichloroethylene (TCE).
Additional information about the site, including the Corrective Action Plan, resources and answers to frequently asked questions, may be found on the KDHE’s 29th and Grove website.